Topping machine for canning



Feb. 27, 1945. L; E. bAvlss 2,370,292-

TOPPING' MACHINE FOR CANNING I/IIII/III/IM Feb, 27, 1945. A S?2,370,292-

TOPPING' MACHINE FOR CANNING Filed Aug. so, 1940 s Sheets-Sheet 3INVENTOR.

Patented Feb. 27.1945

uurrso STATES. PATENT OFFICE 2,310,292 TOPPING MACHINE FOR CANNING LynnE. Davies, Park Ridge, 111., asslgnor to White Cap Company, Chicago,Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application August 30, 1940, Serial No.354,783 5 .Claims. 01. 226-71) This invention relates to apparatus foruse in commercial canning practiceand the like to press down materialwhichhas been filled into cans,v

jars. and the like preliminary to the application of heads, caps orother sealing closures to such receptacles. 4

In the canning of various commodities. .certain fruits and vegetablesfor example, the material placed in the packing receptacles customarilyincludes a substantial amount of liquid,v

to keep clean andin a sanitary condition, and which requires but littlepower.

Other and further objects of the invention will be pointed outhereinafter or will be apparent to one'skilled in the art upon anunderstanding of the following description of it or employment of it inactual practice.

For the purpose of aiding in an explanation of the invention, I show inthe accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and

. hereinafter describe, one form in which it may be embodied. It is tobe understood, however,

'20 A general object of-the present invention is the provision of suchan-apparatus which .will function accurately and efiectively to pressdown the, contents in the upper portions of successive pack ingreceptacles while-they are being fed past it in uninterruptedprogressive movement, so as to obtain approximately uniform spacing ofthe surface material from the-upper rims oithe receptacle's, and whichwill operate with accuracy and safety at speeds sumcientlyhigh to obtaina large output per unit of time.

Another object of the invention is the provision oi apparatus having theattributes abBve specified and which is easily and quickly adaptable foroperation on receptacles of diflerent heights and different diameters.and which is also adaptable, by simple adjustments, to vary,

as desired, the depth of the head-space. 'or 'unoccupied space, to beleft within the receptacle above the surface of its contents.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus having theattributes above specified and which is particularly qualified to obtainaccurate positioning of-the receptacles in relation to the parts or theapparatus which enterithem;

and which is eflfective also to avoid injury to the receptacles orupsetting. of them on occasions when their accurate positioning may havebeen interfered with. v

Yet another object is the provision of such apparatus which is simpleandreliable in construe-f tion and operation, free from diflicultlesofluin the drawings.

that this is presented merely for purpose of illustration, and hence isnot to be construed in any fashion for the purposeof limiting theappended claims short of the true and most comprehensive scope 'of theinvention in the art.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational: view of an 'illus-. trative embodiment ofthe invention, but with the front guide rail removed; 1 Fig. 2 is a topor plan view of same;

. 1 Fig. 8 is; a. detail illustrating one-of thepressing heads orplungers in vertical section and on a larger scale than the otherfigures; and I Fig. 4 is a rear elevational view of the machine withcertain framev parts sectioned or broken away to show some ofthe drivingmechanism.

The general nature of the invention it maybe had from the followingdetailed description of the illustrative embodiment shown The apparatushere shown is designed to be used in a canning line or packing line inwhich the various packing receptacles such as cans, jars,

and the like, are filled to a'suitable degree in any appropriate mannerand are fed progressiv'ely' in a seriesone after another to anappropriate apparatus for applying and. sealing closures upon them. Thedirection of movement of the receptacles is from leit to right in Fig.1.

The apparatus includes, or is associated with,

a suitable conveyor here illustrated as an endless .chain belt [0, whichmay serve also the capg Pins machine and/or the .fillirif machine,said;- conveyor-travelling in part on a frame it on which the .pressingapparatus is supported. .As seen in Fig. 4. vthef-machine includes abody frame I! which is mounted on the conveyor frame I l andlias ahollowbase portion in which most of the. operating mechanism is housed. and

brication, safe as to persons who work near it,

and which occupies butlittle spaceand is easy an'upstandingwall-llke'pedestal portion 14 which f extends alongthe,side of.the-conveyor l0 and havin been indicated above, "a fuller understandingoi"- cup member when the to a considerable distance above it. Thispedestal portion carries rearwardly or outwardly presented verticalsplines or guide flanges I la. -An apron member I5 is supported on andadjustable vertically with respect to thepedestal portion l4, beingsecured thereto, in any selected vertical adjustment, by screws l6 andbeing guided in its vertical adjustment by engagement of a spline |4a inits channeled slideway |5 Adjacent its upper end, the apron memberlicarries a rearwardly presentedfiange I1 and two bearing housings l3 andI9 over respective ends of said flange. .In the bearing housing I8 isjournaled a short horizontal shaft 20, and in the housing IS a similarhorizontal shaft 2|. At its inner end the shaft 20 carries a crankmember 22 and at its outer end a crank arm 24. Likewise, the shaft 2|carries at its inner end a crank member 25 and at its outer end a crankarm 26. The crank arms 24 and 25 are connected by a connecting rod 21which isjoumaled on them at their outer ends, and said crank arms alsohave eccentric counterweights 28 and 29 integrally formed on them, andthe crank member 22 is likewise formed with an eccentric counterweightportion 30, all for a purpose hereinafter described. The crankmember 22carries a crank pin 3| and the crank member carries a similar crank pin32, which crank pins are angularly displaced from crank arms 24 and 25about the axes of shafts 20 and 2| and extend to positions over theconveyor l8. These crank pins have bearing thimbles 33 splined to themand these thimbles are jdurnaled in bearings 34 which are mounted on theend portions of a presser bar 35, said presser bar thus forming aconnection between the crank members 22 and 25. Accordingly, when shaft2 is rotated, shaft 28 will be likewise driven through the medium ofpresser bar 35 and connecting rod 21. The counterweights 28, 29 and 38are provided for the purpose of counterbaltiming the connecting rod 21and the presser bar 35 and the parts'carried thereby.

The presser bar 35 carries the pressing plungers which are equidistantlyspaced relative to';one another in alignment upon it. One of thepressing plungers is illustrated in detail in Fig. 3, where it will beseen that it includes a threaded shank portion 33 having a flatted head31 and a disk 38 and a tapered boss 39 fixed thereon concentrically withthe shank portion 35. The shank has screw thread engagement with thepresser bar 35, passing through the latter and being provided with a jamnut 48 for clamping it in selected adjustment. The plunger also includesa presser head which comprises a cup-like member 4| having a downwardlytapering peripheral wall and a substantially flat bottom, and a hangerring 42 which encompasses the shank portion 38 and rests upon the disk38 with a clearance from the head 31, The cup-like member 4| is securedto the hanger ring in any suitable fashion permitting its being readilydismounted, as by screws 44. A, pliant coil spring 45 bears at its upperend against the flange 38 around the boss 39 and at its lower endagainst the bottom of the cup -like member 4|, thus having the effect ofpressing the member 4| downwardly and holding the anchor ring 42 flatupon the flange 38, and also of permitting the pressing member, whichcomprises the cup-like portion 4| and anchor ring 42, to be movedupwardly relative to the shank portion if suiiicient resistance isopposed to the bar 35 and shank 35 are moving downwardly. ,The innerwall portion of to permit the ring 42 to be moved upwardly to a tiltedor canted position relative to the shank, as may occur when the pressinghead is elevated by eccentrically applied pressure, and the upper innerwall portion 4|a of the cup member 4| is of conic or upwardly convergingform, so that when the presser head is returned by the spring 45 from anelevated or canted or eccentric position, said converging wall portion4|a will cooperate with the marginal portion of the flange 38 to. guidethe pressing head back to its normal concentric relationship with theshank. These various features are provided for the purpose of permittingthe pressing head to accommodate itself to inaccurately positionedreceptacles and avoid injury or upsetting'of them, as will be pointedout hereinafter. In order that the apparatus may be adapted toreceptacles of different diameters, sets of cup members 4| of differentdiameters are provided, and they may be interchangeably mounted 'on theanchor rings 42 as by means of the screws 44.

The shaft 20 is actuated from the shaft 2| through the medium of thecrank disks 25 and 22 and bar 35 and connecting rod 21, which bar androd, being angularly displaced relative to their shafts, maintainrotation of shaft 3| uniform with that ofshaft 32 and alsomaintain'uniformity in the level of the plungers 4| throughout thecourse of their orbital movement, and as shown in Fig. 4, shaft 2| isactuated, through the medium of bevel pinions 46, from a stub shaft 41which is slidable in but splined to a vertically extending sleeve 48.This sleeve 48 is mounted ina hub 49 which is fastened concentrically ona sprocket wheel 50 (see Fig. 2) by means of screws 5| which passthrough concentric arcuate slots 49a in the flange of the hub 49, sothat the hub may be adjustedrotatably relative to the sprocket wheel 53for a timing adjustment as hereinafter explained. The sprocket wheel 58is fixed to a short vertical shaft 52 rotatably driven by horizontalshaft 54 which is disposed in the base housing and actuated from theconveyor sprocket |0a through the medium ofan automaticslip clutch 53and bevel pinions 55. Thus the presser bar 35 and the pressing headswill be operated in synchronism with the conveyor l8.

Entrained on the sprocket 50 and on a corresponding idler sprocket 55which rotates on a journal 51, is an endless chain 58, the disposal ofsaid sprockets and chain being such that the latter travels alongsideand slightly above the conveyor belt H! in front of the pedestal wallI4, and said wall l4 carries a forwardly projecting ledge member 50which overhang the chain in that location. At uniform intervals, havingthe same spacing as the pressing plungers on the bar 35, finger flights6| are mounted on individual links of the chain 58 so as to projectoutwardly from the chain, and these flights have rearwardly extendingheel or stop portions Bla adapted to bear against adjacent links of therelationship with the conveyor, the chain 58 and to the height of thereceptacles.

presser bar 35. The star wheel 82 is provided with pockets or recessesMe at equidistant intervals circumferentially thereof, and-is adjustablerotatably on hub 84 and may be locked in selected positions ofadjustment by the screws 81 which pass through arcuate slots in the starand are threaded into'said hub.

Along and above opposite sides of the conveyor chain ID are disposedguide rails 88 and 88 (see Fig. 2), the latter being adjustabletransversely of the conveyor belt by virtue of adjustable screws l!)which support it from brackets 1|. The guide rail 88 is supported on theflange 80 and is adjustable laterally thereon toward and-from the medianline of the conveyor belt. The portion 88a of the guide rail which isopposite the star 62 is flexible or adjustable outwardly against thepressure of spring 12, said portion 89a of the" rail being hinged at M.The portions of the rails 88 and 69 which are opposite the pedestal wallI4 extend parallel with each other and parallel with the conveyor belt,butlat a point approximately opposite the shaft 52 both of said railsare deflected ahead of an approachingflight finger.- The flexiblymounted portion 69a of'the guide rail eases the receptacles into properpositions in the star wheel pockets 62a and prevents their being crushedor jammed. The chain 58 with its flight fingers 8| travels slightlyfaster than the conveyor belt, 50 that contact of the fingers with thereceptacles is maintained at allt-imes. Meanwhile, the presser bar'isbeing operated continuously to move the presser heads sothattheir-bottoms revolve in respective vertical areas indicated anproximately by the brokenlines 0, O and 0"" (the orbits of the centerpoints of the presser heads brought to positions where the 'pres'serheads will enter their mouths as the presser heads descend, and will beadvanced at the average speed of forward movement of the presser headsuntil the latter are withdrawn from them. The relationship of'areceptacle to a presser head at the time the latter enters it, and therelative positions of the presser bar and crank member 22 at suchtime,are illustrated by the dot and dash lines in Fig. 1, and it will beobserved that in the course of the movement of the plunger from thepoint of entry, which is illustrated in dot-anddash lines, to the pointof maximum penetration or depression, which is; illustrated in fulllines,

' the speed of the downward movement of the laterally, as illustrated at68a and 69b, for a puri is demountable for interchangeability withothers of a set. the different star wheels having pockets for feedingreceptacles of diil'e'rent diameters.

The machine is'adjusted for handling receptacles of a given size bymounting on the hub 84 justing the guide rails 88 and 89 to the properspacing for guiding the receptacles in a row along the middle of theconveyor belt, and cup members 4! of proper size to enter the mouths ofsuch receptacles are mounted on the anchor rings 42 as above described.The frame i5 is set at the proper vertical position on the pedestalplate plunger is decelerated at the rate of a simple harmonic motion.Consequently; .with the, increase of the compression or compacting ofthe material in the container, the rate of the compressing movement is'decreased, thereby allowing the pieces more time in which to adjustthemselves to one another, thus to avoid crush ing and mutiiationof thematerial. The-verticaladjustment of'the frame l5 and of the shanks 38 onthe presser bar 38 is such that the presser heads will enterthe'receptacles to the required distance for pressing down the contentsand providing an unfilled head space of the desired depth. If there issuperfluous fluid in a receptacle, the excess will simply be overflowedfrom the mouth of the receptacle'by the intrusionof thefpresser- M, andadjustment of the shanks 35 in presser bar 35 is made to position thepresser heads at the elevation from the conveyor belt Ill suitable Afterloosening the bolts ii of the hub 48, the rotary positions of thesprockets and 56 relative to shaft 88 are adjusted so that the flightfingers 8| will bear the proper relationship to the presser heads whenthe latter are in their lowermost position,

' that is, so that the finger flights adjacent respective plunger headswill be spaced from the centers of the shanks 38 by a distance equal tothe outside radius'of the receptacle. A similar" rotary adjustment'ofthe star wheel 62 on its hubis made so that it will position the succes-I sive receptacles ahead of therespective flight fingers.

The filled receptacles are fed onto. the conveyor 'belt' at the endwhich is at the left in Fig. 2, and, the conveyor belt and otheroperating parts being actuated continuously, the successive receptacleswill be picked up in the respective pockets of the star'wheel. thusspacing them unifolfmly from one'another, and will be fed for- I fasterthan the conveyor, are effective to posihead.

The three presser heads thus'operate on three receptaclessimultaneously, .and' during the time that the presser heads are clearof th receptacles, the three following receptacles are dvanced topositions to receive them when they next de-- scend. It is to beobserved, accordingly, that the' machine operates continuously and thatthe progressive movement of the receptacles is uninterrupted.

The offset at provided so that the movement of the receptacles will notbe accelerated by the flight fingers when the latter start to turn aboutthe sprocket 50. After the flight fingers'leave the receptacles, the

latter are carried progressively onward by theconveyor belt to theclosure applying machine The yield'able mounting of the presser head orcups ll is for the purpose of preventing injury to receptacles, orppsetting of them, in event they are not accurately positioned on theconveyor for reception of th'e cups in their open mouths. Such acondition is not" likely to occur, inasmuch as the guide rails 68 and58, and

the positioning fingers 6|, which. travel a'trifle tion' receptaclesaccurately under normal condi- 58a and h m the guide rails is tions, andunder all conditions prevent displacementor the receptacles laterally onthe conveyor or rearwardly from their proper positions. However, by someexternal interference, it is possible for a container to-be displacedforwardly from contact with its positioning finger. In such acircumstance, the yieldable mounting of the presser head 'permits it tomove upwardly on the shank or post 36 which supports it, in event itcomes down onto the rim of the receptacle instead of within the mouththereof.

It will be observed that there is very little possibility-for any of theoperating mechanism which operates the presser bar and presser heads tobe splashed or fouled by material from the receptacles, as all of suchmechanism is spaced a substantial distance from the receptacles and thepresser" heads which enter them. Moreover, all

of the operating parts are accessible at all times for inspection andcleaning so that the apparatus may be maintained in an entirely sanitarycondition. Moreover, there is no'necessity for carrying free lubricanton any 'of the moving parts, and hence the possibility of lubricantdripping or working onto the presser heads is avoided. Lubrication ofthe various Journals may be accomplished by use of self-lubricatingbearings of well known type. s

It is to be'observed, moreover, that the machine is entirelyself-contained, being carried in its entirety on the base frame l2; andmaybe. mounted upon or removed from the conveyor frame II as a unit andin accordance with the ed to enter the mouth of a receptacle disposed incoaxial alignment-therewith, and means normally maintaining said presserhead in concen-t tric relationship withsaid post, saidmeans in. cludinga resilient element yieldable to permit the presser head to movelongitudinally of the post and to canted relationship to the post andaligned receptacle.

2. In a topping machine for use in canning, a pressing plungercomprising a rigid post, an anchor ring movably mounted on the post, acup member mounted on the anchor ring and movable therewith, said cupmember having a portion adapted toenter the moutliof a receptaclecoaxially-aligned with the post, means for centering the cup member onthe post and includ- 86- ing resilient means cooperating with the postand cup member topermit the latter to move longitudinally andeccentricalLv relative to the post and aligned receptacle.

3. In a topping machine for use in canning, a pressing plungercomprising a rigid post having an outwardly projecting ledge at one end,an anchor ring'movably mounted in encompassing relationship to the postand adapted to rest upon said ledge in normal relationship to the post,a cup member demountably supported on the anchor ring and housing saidledge, said cup memher having a portion adaptedto enter the mouth of areceptacle'coa-xially aligned with the post, and resilient means housedby the cup member and cooperating with it and the post to hold theanchor ring in normal position'on the ledge yet connecting rod journaledon each of said crank arms at locations displaced angularly about theshafts from the journal axes of said presser bar, a plurality ofpressing plungers mounted on the presser bar, and means for rotating oneof said shafts thereby to revolve said presser bar in a vertical orbitover the conveyor.

5. In a topping apparatus for use in association with a conveyor whichis operable to feed packing receptacles progressively, the combinationof a support, a pair of shafts mounted for rotation thereon onhorizontal axes, a crank member carried on each of said shafts, a crankarm carried on each of said shafts, a presser bar disposed in horizontalposition over the conveyor and journaled on both of said crank members,a

connecting rod journaled on each of said crank arms at'locationsdisplaced angularly about the shafts from the journal axes of saidpresser bar, a plurality of pressing plungers mounted on said presserbar in a series running longitudinally over the conveyor, and means forrotating one of said shafts thereby to revolve said pressing plunger-sin respective vertical orbits over the conveyor.

LYNN E. DAVIES.

